UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA 

COLLEGE    OF    AGRICULTURE 

AGRICULTURAL   EXPERIMENT   STATION 

CIRCULAR  No.  280 
November,  1924 

REPORT  ON  SURVEY  OF  THE  CANNING  TOMATO  INDUSTRY 
WITH  SUGGESTIONS  FOR  IMPROVEMENT 

By  FEED  L.  YAW 


THE  PEOBLEM 

Early  in  1922  a  conference  in  San  Francisco  upon  the  tomato- 
growing  industry  was  arranged  by  the  Canners'  League  of  Cali- 
fornia, in  order  to  consider  means  and  methods  of  bringing  about 
improved  conditions.  At  this  conference  various  private,  corporate, 
state  and  federal  agencies  interested  in  this  subject  were  represented. 
The  principal  conclusions  reached  emphasized  the  needs  of  the  industry 
along  the  line  of  disease  control  and  variety  improvement.  As  a 
result  of  this  activity,  Mr.  Michael  Shapovalov  of  the  United  States 
Department  of  Agriculture  was  assigned  to  work  in  California  upon 
the  investigation  of  tomato  diseases,  particularly  that  called  western 
blight  and  the  seemingly  related  wilt.  Mr.  Shapovalov  located  at  the 
Citrus  Experiment  Station  of  the  University  of  California  at  River- 
side, and  is  still  continuing  in  the  work  of  disease  investigation.  On 
the  part  of  the  Agricultural  Experiment  Station,  Mr.  J.  W.  Lesley 
(Genetics)  undertook  the  work  of  breeding  disease-resistant  and  other- 
wise desirable  tomato  varieties,  while  the  writer  was  detailed  to  make 
a  survey  of  the  conditions  and  methods  actually  existing  in  the  tomato- 
growing  industry  and  to  suggest  practical  possibilities  of  immediate 
improvement. 

This  work  has  had  to  do  almost  entirely  with  the  growing  of 
canning  tomatoes  in  the  San  Francisco  Bay  region.  The  situation  has 
been  stated  as  follows:  "The  canners  have  become  alarmed  at  the 
decreasing  yields  per  acre  and  the  inclination  of  growers  not  to  grow 
tomatoes  because  of  the  low  yields  and  the  low  price  which  the  canners 
are  forced  to  offer  on  account  of  the  class  of  fruit  produced. ' '  In  the 
absence  of  specific  information  and  without  any  very  definite  evidence, 
the  disease  called  western  blight  has  been  looked  upon  as  the  cause  of 
much  of  the  trouble. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT  STATION 


PLAN  OF  THE  WOEK 

The  work  has  consisted  in  systematic  observation  of  most  of  the 
tomato  fields  in  the  Bay  region,  together  with  frequent  trips  to  the 
lower  Sacramento  and  San  Joaquin  valleys  and  occasional  visits  to  the 
upper  San  Joaquin  and  southern  California  during  the  seasons  of 
1922  and  1923.  In  1922,  an  experimental  variety  planting  was  made 
at  Manteca,  San  Joaquin  County.  In  1923,  more  extensive  variety 
tests  were  made  at  San  Jose,  Haywar'd,  Manteca,  and  Folsom.  Canning 
tests  and  other  miscellaneous  work  was  done  at  San  Jose. 

The  aim  has  been  to  learn  existing  conditions  in  the  tomato-growing 
industry  by  means  of  field  observations  and  studies  as  to  the  prevalence 
of  diseases,  methods  of  growing  and  handling  the  crop,  and  the  value 
of  different  varieties.  The  general  idea  has  been  to  learn  what  can 
be  done  for  the  improvement  of  the  industry  by  the  application  of 
existing  knowledge  rather  than  to  inaugurate  research  into  entirely 
new  fields.  Much  of  the  work  has  been  done  in  close  cooperation  with 
Messrs.  M.  Shapovalov  and  J.  W.  Lesley,  although  their  work  was 
more  particularly  on  other  phases  of  the  problem  and  centered  largely 
in  southern  California.  The  identification  of  diseases  has  been  very 
largely  corroborated  by  Mr.  Shapovalov  or  by  members  of  the  Division 
of  Plant  Pathology  at  Berkeley.  The  identification  and  estimation  of 
varieties  and  the  discussion  of  cultural  methods  are  based  on  the 
writer's  personal  judgment. 

In  presenting  this  report,  the  method  followed  will  be  to  give  a 
brief  description  of  the  methods,  varieties,  etc.,  now  in  use,  and  the 
conditions  and  information  now  existing,  followed  in  each  section  by 
a  paragraph  embodying  the  writer 's  conclusions  and  suggestions  as  to 
possibilities  of  improvement  in  this  particular  respect.  The  descrip- 
tion of  prevailing  methods  and  conditions  is  given  simply  to  present 
these  suggestions  intelligently  and  not  with  the  idea  of  writing  a 
circular  of  information  on  tomato  growing.  Such  a  publication  has 
recently  been  issued  by  this  Station.1 

NATURE  OF  THE  INDUSTRY 

The  tomato  industry  in  California  separates  quite  naturally  into 
two  divisions :  production  for  the  canneries,  and  production  for  the 
fresh  fruit  shipment.  In  some  sections  there  is  an  overlapping  of 
these  two  lines  of  production,  but  generally  they  are  fairly  separate. 

1  Rosa,   J.   T.      Tomato   production   in   California.      Calif.    Agri.    Exp.    Sta. 
Circ.  263,  pp.  1-19,  figs.  1-6.     1923. 


Circular  280]      survey  of  the  canning  tomato  industry  3 

The  principal  canning  districts  are  in  the  vicinity  of  San  Francisco 
Bay,  especially  about  San  Jose  and  Hayward  and  extending  northeast 
and  south  to  a  considerable  distance,  and  in  the  vicinity  of  Los  Angeles. 
Imperial  Valley  produces  tomatoes  extensively  for  early  shipment  and 
the  crop  is  grown  locally  in  many  other  parts  of  the  state. 

The  growing  of  tomatoes  in  California  does  not  constitute  a  major 
business  with  many  land  owners.  There  are  no  tomato  growers  in  the 
sense  that  there  are  pear,  prune,  apricot,  and  even  potato  growers. 
The  tomato  is  grown  largely  by  renters  on  a  share  basis  and  usually  as 
a  temporary  crop.  It  is  used  also  to  a  large  extent  as  an  intercrop  in 
young  orchards  or  on  land  which  is  destined  eventually  to  be  planted 
in  orchard.  Consequently,  very  few  land  owners  have  any  permanent 
interest  in  the  success  of  the  tomato  industry.  This  being  the  situation, 
any  concentrated  or  sustained  effort  toward  improvement  must  come 
from  canners  or  shippers,  or  from  some  other  agency  which  has  a 
permanent  interest  in  the  product,  rather  than  from  the  growers 
themselves. 

PKOPAGATION 

In  the  commercial  propagation  of  tomatoes,  several  methods  are 
employed,  depending  largely  upon  the  location  and  the  season  of  the 
year.  During  the  winter  months  both  hotbeds  and  cold  frames  are 
used  for  seed  planting,  and  cold  frames  for  transplanting  from  hot- 
beds. During  the  milder  seasons  of  the  year,  seed  are  sown  in  open 
beds,  and  in  the  Manteca  district  the  seed  are  planted  at  proper  dis- 
tances  directly  in  the  field.  This  is  the  only  northern  section  in  which 
field  planting  of  seed  is  done  and  the  practice  is  supposed  to  have  orig- 
inated as  a  means  of  controlling  western  blight.  During  1922  and 
1923,  western  blight  has  not  been  prevalent  in  the  Manteca  district, 
therefore  no  observation  has  been  possible  as  to  the  effect  of  field- 
planted  seed  in  the  control  of  this  disease. 

In  southern  California  the  tomato  season  extends  from  April  to 
December  and  seed  planting  dates  vary  with  locality  rather  than  with 
season.  Plants  are  produced  in  this  section  in  hotbeds,  cold  frames, 
and  open  beds.  In  the  Imperial  Valley  some  acreage  is  field-planted ; 
here  also  the  young  plants  are  protected  by  the  use  of  paper  caps  and 
small  brush  and  weed  structures  about  each  plant.  In  the  Bay  region, 
tomato  seed  is  planted  in  cold  frames,  beginning  January  1st  and 
ending  about  March  1st.  Transplanting  in  the  cold  frames  is  practiced 
for  the  earliest  plants,  while  the  later  plants  are  transplanted  to  open 
beds  as  well  as  into  cold  frames.    Those  growers  who  do  not  transplant 


4  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT  STATION 

into  cold  frames,  sow  the  seed  rather  thinly  to  provide  room  for  the 
seedlings.  Transplanting,  however,  is  quite  generally  practiced.  In 
the  central  valley  section,  seed-planting  in  hotbeds  begins  January  1st 
and  the  plants  are  not  usually  transplanted  either  within  the  hotbeds 
or  to  cold  frames.    The  seed  are  broadcast  rather  thinly  and  the  plants 


Fig.  1. — Cold  frame  seed  bed  as  used  in  the  San  Francisco  Bay  region  for 
starting  tomato  plants.  These  beds  are  usually  planted  in  January,  giving 
large,  three-  to  four-months-old  plants  for  field  planting  in  May.  Seed  planting 
in  late  February  or  March,  producing  smaller,  younger  plants  for  field  planting 
with  less  breakage  of  roots  and  less  shock  in  transplanting,  is  recommended 
to  prevent  disease. 


after  hardening  are  transplanted  directly  to  the  fields.  In  the  Bay 
region  most  of  the  plants  from  seed  planted  January  1st  are  set  in  the 
field  about  May  1st,  although,  some  field-planting  begins  about 
April  15th.     Under  this  practice  the  plants  are  from  three  to  four 


CIRCULAR  280]       SURVEY  OF  THE  CANNING  TOMATO  INDUSTRY  5 

months  old  when  set  in  the  field.  In  the  Merced  district,  plants  from 
seed  planted  January  1st  are  planted  in  the  field  during  March  and 
commence  producing*  fruit  by  June  1st. 

Be  commendations. — Tomato  plants  about  eight  inches  high  are  best  for  field 
planting.  This  size  should  be  reached  in  from  six  to  eight  weeks.  Under  the 
practice  in  the  Bay  region  of  planting  seed  in  January  for  field  planting  in 
May,  the  plants  are  from  three  to  four  months  old  when  set  in  the  field.  While 
such  plants  are  large-sized,  it  is  doubtful  if  the  results  are  as  good  as  those 
obtained  with  plants  from  seed  sown  about  March  first.  Plants  held  too  long 
in  the  seed  bed  or  cold  frame  undergo  a  check  before  being  moved  to  the  field 
and  the  shock  of  transplanting  is  more  severe  in  large  than  in  small  plants. 
There  is  also  more  breaking  of  roots  and  underground  injury,  which  may  have  a 
rather  direct  relation  to  diseases  which  will  be  discussed  under  that  heading. 
Later  planting  of  seed  beds  (February  15-Mareh  1),  resulting  in  the  field- 
planting  of  younger,  smaller  plants  (6-8  weeks  old,  8  inches  high)  is  strongly 
recommended  for  the  Bay  region.  This  method  has  proved  satisfactory  after 
definite  trial  on  a  considerable  scale  and  it  is  believed  that  its  general  adoption 
would  result  in  less  disease  and  increased  production  per  acre. 

FIELD  PRACTICE 

The  practice  in  many  states  of  growing  tomatoes  in  high  ridges  or 
on  two-rowed  beds  for  the  control  of  fruit  rots  caused  by  soil  fungi  is 
not  followed  in  California.  In  this  state  the  field,  after  it  has  been 
prepared  by  plowing  and  harrowing,  is  usually  furrowed  with  a  plow 
at  the  planting  distance  desired  and  the  plants  are  set  on  the  side  of 
the  furrow,  following  immediately  with  an  irrigation.  With  each 
successive  cultivation  the  land  is  turned  toward  the  plants  until  the 
irrigation  furrow  is  in  the  center  of  the  row  and  the  general  effect  is 
as  though  the  plants  had  been  set  in  the  center  of  a  wide,  low  bed. 

Planting  distances  vary  from  7  by  7  feet  to  16  inches  apart.  The 
usual  distances  are  6  by  6  feet  and  6  by  4  feet.-  The  most  radical 
departure  in  tomato  growing  is  to  be  found  at  Merced.  Here  the 
tomatoes  are  set  about  16  inches  apart  in  rows  only  3  feet  apart  and  the 
plants  are  pruned  to  two  stems  and  trained  up  on  stakes.  This  method 
prevails  only  in  the  production  of  tomatoes  for  market,  and  of  course 
makes  necessary  a  great  amount  of  hand  labor.  The  average  field  of 
stake-grown  tomatoes  is  small,  not  being  much  larger  than  can  be  cared 
for  by  the  grower  himself  and  his  family.  It  is  the  most  intensive 
system  practiced  in  California  tomato-growing. 


b  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT  STATION 

FEETILIZATTON 

It  is  the  experience  of  tomato  growers  (as  with  growers  of  many 
other  crops)  that  it  is  only  on  new  land  that  maximum  production  is 
obtained.  If  continuous  planting  on  the  same  land  is  practiced,  the 
yield  ordinarily  declines  rapidly.  Seasonably  accurate  figures  in  a 
typical  case  of  a  field  of  about  forty  acres  show  a  production  for  1920 
of  900  tons,  for  1921  of  600  tons,  and  for  1922  of  400  tons.  What  part 
of  this  rapid  decrease  in  tonnage  may  be  charged  to  soil  changes,  crop 
residues,  faulty  growing  conditions,  increase  of  parasites,  or  other 
factors  is  not  known. 

Commercial  fertilizers  have  been  used  only  to  a  very  limited  extent 
in  tomato  growing  in  California.  The  results  have  not  been  encourag- 
ing, whether  because  of  an  improper  selection  of  materials  or  because 
of  insufficient  amounts  applied  has  not  been,  determined. 


ACEEAGE 

During  1922,  it  was  estimated  that  the  acreage  under  contract  for 
the  canneries  was  between  17,000  and  18,000  acres.  During  1923,  the 
estimated  acreage  under  contract  for  the  canneries  was  over  22,000 
acres,  with  an  equal  acreage  employed  in  the  growing  of  tomatoes  for 
shipping  and  market,  making  a  total  of  approximately  45,000  acres 
devoted  to  the  production  of  tomatoes  in  1923. 

Recommendations. — The  writer  has  no  very  specific  suggestions  as  to  improve- 
ment of  field  practice  with  tomatoes  in  the  Bay  region.  Methods  which  apply 
generally  to  the  culture  of  all  field  crops,  such  as  thorough  preparation  of  the 
soil,  maintenance  of  an  adequate  moisture  condition  and  thorough  cultivation 
after  irrigation  as  late  in  the  season  as  this  can  be  practiced,  cannot  be  over- 
emphasized. Beyond  this,  the  greatest  possibilities  of  increasing  crops  and 
improving  quality  through  cultural  means  may  be  in  soil  fertilization,  but  this 
is  yet  to  be  proven. 

HAEVESTING 

Tomatoes  for  the  canneries  are  ready  in  August  and  the  harvest 
is  in  full  swing  by  September  15.  The  season  continues  usually  until 
late  November,  or  until  frost  or  rain  ruins  the  fruit.  Gathering  in 
baskets  is  the  common  practice.  As  the  baskets  are  filled,  they  are 
carried  to  the  ends  of  the  rows  and  emptied  by  pouring  the  fruit  into 
lug  boxes.  Some  growers  gather  in  lug  boxes,  but  this  is  considered 
bad  practice  and  should  be  prohibited  by  the  canneries.  A  lug  box 
is  so  large  that  a  picker  can  walk  around  the  box  and  throw  fruit  into 


Circular  280]       SURVEY  OF  THE  CANNING  TOMATO  INDUSTRY  7 

it,  which  he  usually  does.  When  the  box  is  half  or  more  filled,  it 
becomes  so  heavy  that  the  picker  handles  it  roughly,  the  result  being 
that  the  ripe  fruit  is  crushed  and  broken  before  it  leaves  the  field. 
The  common  practice  is  to  haul  directly  from  the  field  to  the  cannery. 
In  some  instances  the  boxes  are  hauled  to  a  loading  platform  and  then 
loaded  onto  trucks  or  wagons  for  hauling  to  the  canneries. 

Only  full  ripe  fruit  is  acceptable  for  canning  and  for  other  tomato 
products  and  when  in  this  condition  the  fruit  is  easily  injured  by 
rough  handling.  Many  pickers  handle  the  fully  ripe  fruit  as  though 
it  had  the  durability  of  cobble  stones.  The  loaders  and  unloaders 
handle  the  boxes  too  often  with  unnecessary  roughness.  The  losses 
resulting  from  bad  handling  hurt  both  the  grower  and  the  buyer,  but 
the  grower  must  suffer  the  greater  loss. 

Be  commendations. — The  tomato  gathering  season,  for  delivery  to  the  can- 
neries, is  too  long.  The  season  generally  ends  only  on  account  of  its  termination 
by  unfavorable  weather.  The  fruit  begins  to  ripen  by  August  15  and  should 
there  come  a  heavy  frost  by  October  15,  the  average  grower  loses  approximately 
half  of  his  possible  crop,  because  it  has  not  matured  before  this  date.  The 
season  for  gathering  can  undoubtedly  be  shortened  by  the  intelligent  selection 
of  plants  and  fruit  for  seed,  thus  obtaining  a  strain  or  variety  which  matures 
the  bulk  of  its  crop  within  a  shorter  period  than  at  present.  In  the  effort  to 
obtain  such  a  variety,  other  qualities  such  as  disease  resistance,  canning  quality 
productivity,  etc.,  must  also,  of  course,  be  considered. 

VAEIETIES 

The  number  of  varieties  of  tomatoes  grown  commercially  in  Cali- 
fornia is  comparatively  small.  In  the  southern  part  of  the  state  the 
Stone  holds  first  place  for  both  shipping  and  for  canning  purposes. 
Earliana  and  strains  of  Earliana  are  grown  for  the  earliest  shipments, 
followed  by  Stone  for  the  main  crop.  Globe  is  also  being  grown.  The 
Stone  is  practically  the  only  variety  being  used  by  the  canneries  in  the 
south,  except  that  over-ripe  Earliana  and  other  varieties  are  utilized 
in  the  making  of  sauce,  paste  and  puree.  In  the  northern  part  of  the 
state  the  variety  commonly  called  "Jap  Canner."  "Canner,"  and 
"San  Jose  Canner"  is  the  most  largely  grown  variety  for  the  can- 
neries. In  the  interior  valley  sections,  the  Stone  is  almost  the  only 
variety  grown  for  the  canneries.  For  shipping  purposes  the  Earliana 
and  strains  of  this  variety  are  grown  for  earliest  shipping,  followed 
by  Stone  for  the  main  shipping  crop.  In  the  section  about  Center- 
ville  and  Irvington  it  has  been  found  that  the  variety  generally  grown 
there  and  called  Stone  is  in  reality  not  Stone  at  all,  but  a  somewhat 
degenerated  strain  of  the  Morse  San  Jose  Canner. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT  STATION 


Fig.  2. — Stone  tomato,  grown  largely  for  shipping  and  canning.     Very  susceptible 
to  disease  and  should  be  replaced  by  Norton  and  other  resistant  varieties. 


Circular  280]       SURVEY  OF  THE  CANNING  TOMATO  INDUSTRY  9 

Stone. — This  is  at  present  the  leading  variety  in  the  state  as  a 
whole,  being  extensively  grown  for  both  canning  and  shipping  in  the 
south  and  in  the  interior  valleys,  and  for  shipping  purposes  in  the 
north.  It  is  a  variety  of  luxuriant  growth  and  heavy  bearing.  The 
fruit  is  of  bright  red  color  and  good  size,  smooth  and  symmetrical 
in  form,  and  of  firm,  solid  texture.  It  is  not  an  early  bearer  and  there- 
fore not  adapted  to  planting  for  early  shipment.  The  great  defect  of 
Stone  is  its  susceptibility  to  disease.  In  other  parts  of  the  country  it 
is  known  to  be  one  of  the  varieties  most  susceptible  to  Fusarium  wilt, 
and  the  same  is  true  in  California.  In  relation  to  other  diseases,  the 
Stone  is  as  susceptible  as  any  other  variety  and  suffers  great  annual 
losses  from  such  causes.  It  has  no  marked  superiority  in  any  way 
over  certain  other  varieties  and  there  is,  therefore,  no  reason  why  it 
should  be  considered  desirable  for  continued  planting. 

Be  commendation. — It  is  recommended  that  the  Stone  be  replaced  at  present 
for  canning  by  Norton  or  Norduke,  both  of  which  are  of  Stone  type  and  red  in 
color.  These  have  shown  themselves  to  be  as  resistant  to  wilt  in  California  as 
elsewhere  and  appear  to  have  all  the  good  qualities  of  the  Stone.  Globe,  a 
resistant  pink  variety,  is  recommended  to  replace  Stone  as  a  shipper.  Norton 
(red)  is  also  good  for  shipping. 

Canner. — The  variety  commonly  grown  for  the  canning  trade  in 
the  Bay  region  is  the  ' ' Canner ' '  (' '  Jap  Canner, "" San  Jose  Canner  " ) . 
On  both  sides  of  San  Francisco  Bay  and  as  far  south  as  Hollister  this 
is  almost  the  only  variety  grown  for  the  canneries  and  undoubtedly 
furnishes  the  greatest  tonnage  of  any  and  all  varieties  grown  for  can- 
ning in  this  state.  The  ' '  Canner ' '  is  a  strain  of  the  old  Trophy  which 
apparently  was  originated  by  selection  in  the  San  Jose  district.  It 
has  the  bright  red  color,  "meatiness,"  and  flavor  desired  by  the 
canners  and  is  a  general  favorite  with  those  now  growing  tomatoes 
for  the  canneries.  In  the  Bay  region  it  is  a  very  heavy  bearer,  yields 
of  30  tons  or  more  per  acre  being  known,  while  production  of  20  to  25 
tons  per  acre  is  fairly  common.  The  entire  acreage  under  contract  to 
one  of  the  canneries  during  1922,  averaged  an  acre  production  of  11 
tons  delivered  to  the  cannery.  The  average  production  of  tomatoes  for 
the  state  is  only  4  to  5  tons  per  acre.  The  Canner  variety  makes  an 
excellent  canned  fruit,  puree,  sauce,  ketchup  or  paste.  It  is  a  very 
large  tomato,  made  up  of  thick  outer  walls  and  inner  divisions  with 
small  and  broken  cells.  It  gives  a  large  percentage  of  solid  as  com- 
pared to  liquid  content.  The  strain  commonly  grown  for  packing  is 
badly  degenerated.  This  has  been  brought  about  by  lack  of  intelligent 
selection  as  it  is  likely  that  the  bulk  of  the  seed  planted  is  from  nothing 
better  than  culls.    The  best  average  of  the  fruit  is  not  over  half  smooth 


10  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT  STATION 


Fig.  3. — Sections   of  Stone  tomato. 


Fig.  4. — "Jap  Canner"  tomato.  This  is  at  present  the  most  popular  variety 
in  the  Bay  region  for  canning,  on  account  of  size,  heavy  production,  color,  flavor 
and  high  percentage  of  flesh.  The  variety  is  superior  in  all  these  respects  and 
has  some  disease-resistance.  It  needs  improvement  by  selection  in  shape,  amount 
of  core,  time  of  ripening  and  disease-resistance. 


12   .  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT  STATION 

or  fairly  smooth  tomatoes.  The  fruit  is  large,  flat,  with  a  deep  stem 
cavity,  and  rough  at  both  the  stem  and  blossom  ends.  This  roughness 
is  responsible  for  the  introduction  of  active  yeasts  and  moulds  into 
tomato  products  and  also  for  a  large  cannery  waste. 

The  "Canner"  has  a  large  white  or  greenish  core  extending  from 
the  stem  end  almost  to  the  blossom  end  of  the  fruit.  The  removal  of 
this  core  undoubtedly  involves  the  greatest  waste  of  any  of  the  cannery 
operations.  So  large  a  piece  of  the  fruit  is  removed  with  the  core 
that  the  locules  are  opened  and  subsequent  handling  causes  loss  of 
jelly,  seeds,  juice,  and  a  considerable  amount  of  tomato  flesh.  The 
average  size  of  "Canner"  tomatoes  delivered  to  the  cannery  is  too 
large  for  canning  purposes;  the  diameter  of  the  fruit  should  not  be 
larger  than  that  of  the  container.  The  season  required  for  maturing 
"Jap  Canner"  fruit  is  altogether  too  long,  resulting  in  the  loss  of  a 
large  part  of  the  crop  in  years  when  early  frosts  or  heavy  rains  occur. 
This  variety  appears  to  have  some  resistance  to  Fusarium  or  wilt 
disease,  more  at  least  than  the  Stone. 

The  "Canner"  at  present  is  undoubtedly  the  best  commercial 
canning  variety  for  both  grower  and  packer  on  account  of  its  heavy 
production  and  the  color,  solidity,  flavor,  and  high  percentage  of  solids 
of  the  fruit.  Both  production  and  quality  are  sustained  late  in  the 
fall.  The  variety  shows  considerable  disease  resistance  in  the  Bay 
region.  On  account,  however,  of  the  serious  defects  of  oversized, 
unshapely,  rough  fruit  with  an  exaggerated  core  and  the  long  season 
required  for  maturing  the  crop,  together  with  the  need  of  increased 
disease  resistance,  there  is  great  room  for  improvement  in  this  variety. 

Becommendations. — Efforts  should  at  once  be  made  to  improve  the  "Jap 
Canner' '  variety  by  selection  in  the  field,  in  respect  to  smoothness  of  fruit, 
amount  of  core,  length  of  time  required  for  maturing  the  bulk  of  the  crop,  and 
in  disease  resistance.  This  variety  has  so  many  good  qualities  and  is  so  firmly 
established  in  the  Bay  region  that  the  gradual  development  and  introduction  of 
an  improved  strain  seems  more  practical  than  attempting  to  introduce  an 
entirely  new  variety. 

Morse 's  San  Jose  Canner.  —  This  variety  or  strain  has  been 
developed  through  several  years'  careful  selection  from  the  "Jap 
Canner"  in  an  effort  to  obtain  a  smoother  and  more  uniform  fruit. 
This  goal  has  been  attained  to  a  very  considerable  extent.  The  Morse 
Canner  has  not  as  yet,  however,  attained  a  very  firm  place  in  the 
tomato-growing  industry,  possibly  for  some  of  the  following  reasons : 
On  all  kinds  of  ground  it  will  not  produce  as  heavily  as  the  "Jap 
Canner. ' '  On  new,  heavy  ground,  however,  the  ' '  Morse ' '  may  produce 
even  more  heavily  than  the  "Jap,"  as  the  latter,  under  these  condi- 


CIRCULAR  280]        SURVEY  OF  THE  CANNING  TOMATO  INDUSTRY  13 

tions,  is  inclined  to  produce  vine  at  the  expense  of  fruit.  On  lighter  or 
old  tomato  ground  the  extreme  vigor  of  the  ordinary  "Canner"  gives 
superior  yields.  Crops  of  over  twenty  tons  per  acre  have  been  recorded 
with  "Morse  Canner"  in  1923.  In  quality,  there  is  considerable  experi- 
ence to  show  that  in  the  first  half  of  the  crop  the  ' '  Morse ' '  compares 
favorably  with  the  ' '  Jap  Canner ' '  for  percentage  of  solids  to  liquids, 
but  in  the  latter  part  of  the  crop  the  tomatoes  are  inclined  to  be  small 
and  soft.    This  seems  to  be  the  worst  fault  of  this  variety  in  the  eyes  of 


Fig.  5. — Morse  strain  of  San  Jose  Canner.     Much  improved  in  shape. 

growers  and  canners.  Also  the  necessarily  high  price  of  seed  for  a 
carefully  selected  strain  which  produces  very  little  seed  per  ton  of 
tomatoes,  as  compared  with  seed  from  ordinary  sources. 

Norton. — This  variety  originated  as  a  selection  from  the  ' '  Stone, " 
made  by  J.  B.  Norton  of  the  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture.  It  is 
indistinguishable  from  a  good  strain  of  Stone  in  yield  and  character, 
but  has  the  very  great  advantage  of  a  high  degree  of  resistance  to 
Fusarium  wilt.  This  quality  has  been  found  to  hold  good  in  Cali- 
fornia. Norton  is  therefore  recommended  for  planting  instead  of  the 
Stone.    ' '  Norduke ' '  is  very  similar  to  Norton. 


14 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT  STATION 


Fig.  6.— Sections  of  Morse  strain  of  < '  Canner * '  tomato. 


CIRCULAR  280]       SURVEY  OF  THE  CANNING  TOMATO  INDUSTRY 


15 


Globe. — The  Globe  is  a  deep,  globular-shaped  tomato  of  pink  color. 
It  is  probably  the  most  resistant  to  Fusarium  wilt  of  any  of  the  older 
commercial  varieties.  Large  acreages  of  Globe  are  planted  by  seeds- 
men in  southern  California  with  entire  success.    The  variety  is  being 


Fig.  7. — Norton  tomato.     A  disease-resistant  selection  of  Stone. 


16  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT  STATION 


Fig.  8. — Sections  of  Norton  tomato. 


CIRCULAR  280]       SURVEY  OF  THE  CANNING  TOMATO  INDUSTRY  17 

grown  in  California  for  shipping  to  a  certain  extent  and  from  present 
indications  should  replace  the  Stone  for  this  purpose,  on  account  of 
its  resistance  to  disease. 

Diener. — This  appears  to  be  a  typical  strain  of  "San  Jose  Canner, " 
with  the  heavy  production  and  rough  fruit  characteristic  of  this 
variety. 

Other  Varieties. — Many  other  tomato  varieties  are  grown  in  Cali- 
fornia and  elsewhere,  but  none  have  thus  far  shown  qualities  which 
recommend  them  above  those  already  described.  The  following  have 
been  grown  experimentally  or  closely  observed  in  this  work :  Arlington, 
Burbank,  Columbia,  Earliana,  Greater  Baltimore,  Louisiana  Pink, 
Louisiana  Red,  Marvel  and  Trophy. 

DISEASES 

In  this  survey  attention  has  not  been  paid  to  all  the  diseases  of 
the  tomato,  but  simply  the  most  important  ones  which  more  or  less 
regularly  affect  the  yield  of  canning  tomatoes. 

Western  Blight. — The  losses  supposed  to  be  due  to  this  disease  were 
largely  responsible  for  the  present  work  being  started.  The  writer 
found,  however,  very  early  in  his  survey  that  "Blight"  is  a  very  vague 
term  in  the  minds  of  most  California  tomato-growers.  It  appears  that 
for  many  years  there  has  occurred  in  California  a  dying  of  tomato 
plants  in  the  field  which  causes  various  degrees  of  loss  in  different 
seasons,  but  a  serious  amount  in  the  aggregate.  This  trouble  has 
usually  been  greater  in  the  warmer  parts  of  the  state  and  of  less  extent 
near  the  coast  and  in  the  Bay  district,  although  it  is  reported  as  having 
been  abundant  in  some  seasons  in  the  latter  region.  Some  even  stat<> 
that  the  occurrence  of  this  ' '  Blight ' '  is  the  only  factor  which  prevents 
the  extensive  growing  of  canning  tomatoes  in  the  interior  valley  of 
California.  There  seems  from  the  first  to  have  been  much  doubt  con- 
cerning the  identity  and  nature  of  this  disease.  Nearly  twenty  years 
ago  R.  E.  Smith2  stated  that  "This  trouble  has  been  commonly  referred 
to  as  the  bacterial  blight,  an  eastern  tomato  disease.  It  is  not  that 
disease."  Smith  considered  the  disease  to  be  due  to  a  soil  fungus,  a 
species  of  Fusarium,  which  attacks  the  roots  and  thereby  weakens  and 
finally  kills  the  plant  above  ground.  He  states,  however,  that  "If  a 
plant  is  pulled  up  as  soon  as  it  begins  to  show  wilting  and  fading,  the 
roots  look  healthy  and  sound,"  but  thinks  that  the  trouble  starts  at 
the  ends  of  the  roots.  The  further  opinion  is  expressed  that  this  disease 


2  Smith,  E.  E.     Tomato  diseases  in  California.     Calif.  Agr.  Exp.  Sta.  Bull. 
175,    p.  7.    1906. 


18  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT  STATION 

is  not  the  well-known  tomato  wilt  of  the  eastern  states,  caused  by 
Fusarium  lycopersici  Sacc,  but  a  different  disease.  Smith  calls  this 
disease  "Summer  Blight."  The  same  writer  in  a  later  publication3 
suggests  that  "it  is  possible  that  two  different  diseases  are  confused 
in  this  trouble."  Rogers4  in  1912  described  this  disease  under  the 
name  of  ' '  Summer  Blight "  or  "  Wilt ' '  and  states  that  it  has  been  the 
cause  of  enormous  losses  in  California  through  the  dying  of  plants  in 
the  field.  This  author  states  that  "The  roots  of  a  plant  affected  by 
the  wilt  appear  to  be  normal. ' '  A  large  amount  of  negative  or  incon- 
clusive and  therefore  unpublished  work  was  performed  by  Rogers  upon 
the  nature  of  this  disease.  He  considered  "Summer  Blight"  to  be 
entirely  distinct  from  the  true  Fusarium  wilt  and  suggested  the  possi- 
bility of  its  being  a  mosaic  or  systemic  disease.  Humphrey5  in  1914, 
described  under  the  name  "Yellow  Blight"  a  tomato  disease  of  the 
Pacific  Northwest.  This  disease  appeared  to  bear  considerable  resem- 
blance to  that  occurring  in  California.  Humphrey  considered  Yellow 
Blight  to  be  due  to  two  species  of  Fusarium,  F.  ortkoceras  and  F. 
oxysporum,  attacking  the  roots  during  periods  of  high  temperature, 
intense  light  and  low  humidity,  and  believed  the  disease  to  be  distinct 
from  the  usual  tomato  wilt  caused  by  F.  lycopersici.  Subsequent  work 
by  Hall  and  by  Heald,  referred  to  very  briefly  in  several  annual 
reports  of  the  Washington  Station,  suggested  another  soil  fungus, 
Rhizoctonia,  rather  than  Fusarium,  as  the  cause  of  this  trouble  in 
the  State  of  Washington.  Previously  in  Idaho,  Huntley,6  and  Hender- 
son7 mentioned  a  tomato  "Blight"  or  "Yellows"  which  appears  to 
be  similar  to  the  disease  under  discussion.  The  name  "Western 
Blight ' '  seems  to  have  originated  in  the  United  States  Department  of 
Agriculture  as  a  designation  of  this  more  or  less  well-defined  tomato 
disease  of  California  and  the  Northwest.  The  name  was  used  by 
Orton8  as  early  at  least  as  1907. 

The  writer's  observations  in  California  during  the  seasons  of  1922 
and  1923  strongly  bear  out  the  conclusion  that  two  different  diseases 

3  Smith,  R.  E.,  and  Smith,  E.  H.  California  plant  diseases.  Calif.  Agr.  Exp. 
Sta.  Bull.  218,     p.  1168.     1911. 

4  Rogers,  S.  S.  The  culture  of  tomatoes  in  California  with  special  reference 
to  their  diseases.    Calif.  Agr.  Exp.  Sta.  Bull.  239,  pp.  612-615.     1923. 

5  Humphrey,  H.  B.  Studies  on  the  relation  of  certain  species  of  Fusarium  to 
the  tomato  blight  of  the  Pacific  Northwest.  Washington  Agr.  Exp.  Sta.  Bull. 
115,  pp.  1-22,  plates,  1-4.     1914. 

e  Huntley,  P.  A.  Tomato  culture.  Idaho  Agr.  Exp.  Sta.  Bull.  34,  pp.  108-117, 
figs.  1-3.     1904. 

7  Henderson,  L.  P.  Tomato  Blight.  Ann  Rept.  Idaho  Agr.  Exp.  Sta.  pp.  28-32. 
1904. 

s  Orton,  W.  A.  Tomato  Diseases.  In  Tomato  Culture,  by  W.  W.  Tracy. 
Orange  Judd  Co.,  New  York. 


CIRCULAR  280]        SURVEY  OF  THE  CANNING  TOMATO  INDUSTRY 


19 


* 


♦         >'  4. 


?m 


,* 


f^mm 


M 


Fig.  9. — The  disease  called  tomato  ''Blight"  in  California:  typical  fields. 
This  has  been  supposed  to  be  Western  Blight,  but  it  appears  that  much  of  the 
trouble  is  due  to  Fusarium  Wilt,  a  disease  which  can  be  controlled  by  planting 
resistant  varieties. 


20  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT  STATION 

have  been  confused  under  the  general  term  "Blight,"  one  of  these 
resembling  the  usual  Fusarium  wilt  common  to  many  parts  of  the 
country,  caused  by  Fusarium  ly  coper  sici  Sacc,  while  the  other  may 
be  termed  true  western  blight,  the  cause  of  which  is  still  unknown.  It 
is  also  concluded  that  in  the  years  mentioned  wilt  was  a  much  more 
serious  factor  than  western  blight. 

Western  blight,  as  the  writer  distinguishes  it  in  California,  is 
characterized  by  the  rolling,  with  an  upward  inclination,  of  the  leaflets, 
which  become  stiffened  and  somewhat  thickened.  These  stiffened 
leaflets  have  a  suggestion  of  brittleness  when  pressed  with  the  fingers. 
As  the  disease  progresses  in  the  plant,  the  leaves  take  on  a  peculiar 
sulf ury  yellow  color  which  is  so  characteristic  as  a  symptom  of  western 
blight  that  it  can  scarcely  be  mistaken  for  any  other  disease.  The 
veins  of  the  leaflets  nearly  always  become  of  a  purplish  to  deep  purple 
color,  although  this  purpling  of  the  veins  should  not  be  considered  as 
a  necessary  symptom  of  western  blight.  During  1923  purpling  has 
been  much  in  evidence  on  the  foliage  of  those  plants  which  developed 
symptoms  of  western  blight  late  in  the  season.  In  many  instances  the 
whole  leaf  surface  has  become  purpled  as  well  as  the  veins.  In  western 
blight  the  stems  and  branches  of  the  plant  appear  to  be  normal  except 
that  they  are  dry  inside,  indicating  that  the  ability  of  the  root  system 
to  take  moisture  from  the  soil  has  been  seriously  impaired.  The  root 
system  shows  symptoms  of  western  blight  in  its  dead  and  dying  roots. 
The  smallest  roots  die  first,  the  infection  working  gradually  through 
the  roots  until  it  enters  that  part  of  the  plant  stem  below  ground. 
When  this  has  occurred,  the  plant  is  usually  nearly  done  for.  There  is 
a  slight  discoloration  in  the  roots  a  short  distance  ahead  of  the  dead 
or  dying  part,  this  being  more  pronounced  just  under  the  cortex.  As 
the  root  dies,  it  becomes  much  shrunken.  When  the  disease  has 
progressed  far  enough  to  be  readily  distinguishable,  the  plant  has 
stopped  growing  and  we  have  never  seen  a  plant  which  showed  infec- 
tion in  the  spring  that  has  grown  further.  Among  those  plants  which 
did  not  develop  typical  symtoms  until  fall,  certain  plants  have  been 
observed  which  were  apparently  in  a  growing  condition  and  also 
affected  by  western  blight.  It  is  our  conclusion,  however,  that  when  a 
plant  shows  symptoms  of  being  affected  by  western  blight  that  it  will 
never  grow  any  more.  Plants  affected  by  western  blight  seldom  pro- 
duce fruits  approaching  normal  in  size.  The  greater  number  of  fruits 
from  affected  plants  are  very  small,  seldom  over  two  inches  in  diameter, 
and  the  seeds  are  aborted.  The  flavor  of  the  fruit  is  not  bad,  but  such 
fruits  lack  the  sprightly  flavor  of  normal  fruits.  Western  blight 
usually  appears  in  June,  in  plants  set  in  the  field  in  May  or  earlier. 


CIRCULAR  280]        SURVEY  OF  THE  CANNING  TOMATO  INDUSTRY 


21 


It  is  characteristically  a  disease  of  early  summer  and  new  eases  arc 
rarely  seen  later  in  the  season.  In  fact  it  is  a  common  practice  where 
plants  show  the  disease  in  June  to  pull  them  out  and  replace  with  new 
plants  in  the  same  holes.  Such  replants  almost  never  show  the  disease. 
There  is  a  certain  relation  between  the  prevalence  of  western  blight 
and  climatic  conditions.    During  normal  seasons,  i.e.,  seasons  of  normal 


Fig.  10.— Tomato  plant  affected  with  " Blight.' 


temperatures,  the  disease  is  quite  prevalent,  reports  having  been  made 
of  losses  of  over  50  per  cent  of  the  plants  by  this  disease.  In  such 
normal  seasons  fairly  warm  weather  in  May  occurs,  followed  by  a 
period  of  decidedly  high  temperature  in  June.  The  statement  is 
usually  made  that  western  blight  appears  after  the  first  "hot  spell." 
During  seasons  of  subnormal  temperatures  during  May  and  June, 
western  blight  shows  a  very  low  percentage  of  occurrence,  even  though 
hot  weather  follows  later  in  the  summer.  The  disease  is  also  usually 
most  abundant  in  the  hottest,  and  least  common  in  the  coolest  portions 


22  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT  STATION 

of  the  state.  As  a  consequence  of  these  characteristics,  western  blight 
occurs  quite  regularly  every  year  in  the  upper  San  Joaquin  Valley, 
while  in  the  Bay  region  it  develops  abundantly  only  in  occasional 
seasons  when  high  temperatures  occur  in  May  and  June.  Knowledge 
of  the  relation  of  soil  temperatures  to  the  occurrence  of  western  blight 
would  be  of  much  interest  in  this  connection.  There  is  also  a  certain 
relation  between  the  number  of  affected  plants  and  the  number  of 
plants  which  have  been  injured  in  transplanting.  Those  plants  which 
develop  symptoms  of  western  blight  by  June  15  have  almost  invariably 
shown  severe  transplanting  injury  below  the  ground  level.  (This  is 
the  condition  in  the  Santa  Clara  Valley).  This  fact  shows  an  apparent 
connection  with  the  freedom  from  western  blight  of  tomato  plants 
grown  from  seed  planted  directly  in  the  field  and  never  transplanted. 

During  the  seasons  of  1922  and  1923,  western  blight  was  not  a 
generally  serious  factor  affecting  the  acre  yield  of  tomatoes.  The  loss 
in  plants  was  from  about  5%  to  as  high  as  75%,  but  the  average  was 
not  above  10%.  In  that  part  of  the  San  Joaquin  Valley  from  Fresno 
on  to  Bakersfield,  western  blight  was  very  prevalent  and  accounted  for 
a  loss  up  to  75%  of  some  fields.  The  other  tomato-growing  sections 
were  comparatively  free  from  western  blight  as  compared  to  past 
years,  at  least  this  is  the  report  had  from  the  growers  and  field  men 
for  the  canneries. 

There  has  been  no  marked  difference  in  susceptibility  among  the 
important  varieties  of  canning  tomatoes  that  have  been  under  obser- 
vation. Several  authorities,  however,  have  reported  that  Dwarf 
Champion  showed  marked  resistance.  (See  Humphrey,  Henderson, 
1.  c. )  Some  indication  of  resistance  in  this  variety  has  also  been  seen 
in  California,  Western  blight  shows  no  relation  to  the  previous  plant- 
ing of  tomatoes  on  the  same  land,  but  occurs  either  on  new  or  old  land 
with  no  apparent  relation  to  this  factor. 

Fusarium  Wilt. — There  is  a  tomato  disease  in  California  which  has 
all  the  characteristics  of  the  Fusarium  wilt  which  is  so  commonly 
found  in  the  southern,  or  warmer  states.  The  characteristics  of  this 
disease  are  at  first  a  rolling  of  the  leaflets  which  gradually  wither  and 
finally  die,  beginning  with  the  lower  leaves.  Such  leaflets  sometimes 
turn  yellow,  but  this  is  not  an  important  symptom,  since  in  many 
cases  little  change  in  color  is  noticed  except  that  in  dying  the  leaves 
become  dry  and  brown.  The  plant  may  wither  either  as  a  whole  or  in 
one  or  two  stems,  but  withering  does  not  seem  to  be  as  characteristic  a 
symptom  in  California  as  might  be  expected,  judging  by  the  behavior 
of  the  disease  as  known  in  other  states.  Parts  of  the  plant  may  at  first 
wilt  only  during  the  warmer  portion  of  the  day,  but  in  a  more  advanced 


CIRCULAR  280]       SURVEY  OF  THE  CANNING  TOMATO  INDUSTRY  23 

stage  the  whole  plant  may  become  involved,  or  show  decided  wilting. 
Where  wilting  occurs  it  is  usually  confined  at  first  to  only  one  or  two 
stems  of  the  plant,  and  generally  this  does  not  occur  until  the  disease 
is  well  advanced  within  the  root  system.  As  the  leaves  wither  and  die. 
the  stem  finally  becomes  deprived  of  all  its  foliage  and  begins  to  die 
and  shrivel,  taking  on  a  brown  color.  The  root  system  is  affected  and 
the  trouble  is  evident  at  first  among  the  smaller  roots  which  become  of 
a  darkened  color  and  decayed.  The  larger  roots  upon  being  cut  in 
cross-sections  or  split  lengthwise  at  first  show  the  fibro  vascular  tissues 
to  be  discolored  and  turn  to  a  brownish  color.  Later  the  whole  inside 
of  the  root  becomes  of  a  dark  brown  or  almost  black  color.  The  stem 
and  branches  of  the  wilt-affected  plant  have  a  brownish  colored  vascu- 
lar system.  This  color  varies  from  a  light  brownish  color  to  a  deep 
brown,  depending  upon  the  stage  of  the  disease.  The  discoloration  of 
the  fibro-vascular  system  of  the  stem  is  caused  by  the  invading  fungus. 
This  discoloration  is  most  marked  at  the  axis  and  in  advanced  stages 
of  the  disease,  the  removal  of  a  leaf  or  branch  will  disclose  an  area 
much  more  darkly  colored  than  that  found  in  the  fibro-vascular  system. 
The  pith  is  not  discolored,  but  remains  apparently  normal  until  the 
plant  dies.  "While  no  laboratory  work  has  been  done  by  the  writer  to 
determine  whether  this  tomato  wilt  in  California  is  caused  by  the  same 
organism  (Fusarium  lycopersici)  as  in  the  typical  disease  in  other 
states,  the  symptoms  are  identical  with  those  with  which  he  has  been 
familiar  in  other  sections  where  this  fungus  is  known  to  be  the 
causal  organism.  This  diagnosis  has  also  been  corroborated  by  Mr. 
Shapovalov. 

Many  plants  affected  by  this  Fusarium  wilt  are  not  entirely  killed 
by  it,  in  fact  numerous  cases  have  been  seen  in  which  60  per  cent 
or  even  80  per  cent  of  the  plants  were  affected,  but  actually  not  over 
2  per  cent  died  with  the  disease.  In  fact  it  seems  to  be  a  more  or 
less  general  rule  that  under  average  conditions  in  California  this 
disease  does  not  show  the  virulence  experienced  in  other  states.  While 
the  disease  has  been  under  observation  by  the  writer  during  only  two 
seasons,  there  has  been  no  indication  of  a  tendency  for  it  to  become 
more  virulent  from  one  season  to  another.  This  condition  seems  to 
be  largely  attributable  to  climatic  differences  of  different  seasons. 
While  the  number  of  plants  actually  killed  by  the  disease  does  not 
necessarily  show  a  steady  or  marked  increase  when  the  same  land  is 
planted  in  tomatoes  during  consecutive  years,  it  is  nevertheless  true 
that  the  fungus  shows  a  decided  increase  from  year  to  year  in  its 
aggregate  effects.  The  large  percentage  of  Fusarium-infected  plants, 
whether  they  actually  die  or  not,  is  a  very  positive  factor  in  lowering 


24  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT  STATION 

the  acre  yield  of  tomatoes  and  this  decrease  in  yield  increases  rapidly 
from  year  to  year.  One  field  of  about  twenty  acres  illustrates  a  typical 
case  of  this  and  of  the  comparative  behavior  of  western  blight  and 
Fusarium  wilt.  The  development  of  western  blight  occurred  soon  after 
this  field  was  planted  and  by  June  15th  was  at  its  height.  After  this 
date  very  few  plants  developed  the  trouble  and  the  affected  plants  were 
well  distributed  in  the  field  to  the  extent  of  about  10  per  cent  of  the 
total  number.  At  this  time  about  1  per  cent  of  the  plants  were  badly 
affected  with  Fusarium  wilt.  The  Fusarium  developed  quite  steadily 
during  the  season  until  60  per  cent  of  the  plants  were  affected  to  a 
greater  or  less  degree,  although  not  more  than  2  per  cent  of  them  died 
on  account  of  the  disease.  The  variety  was  the  commonly  planted 
strain  of  "San  Jose  Canner"  which  shows  typically  what  may  be 
called  a  partial  resistance  to  the  disease.  Approximately  half  of  this 
field  had  produced  tomatoes  before  this  season,  the  other  being  new 
land  for  this  crop.  There  was  as  much  western  blight  on  the  one  half 
as  on  the  other,  but  the  Fusarium  wilt  was  a  much  more  serious  factor 
on  the  older  half  of  the  field.  In  the  new  portion  the  wilt  was  only 
half  as  much  as  that  on  the  other  part  which  had  been  in  tomatoes 
before. 

During  the  latter  part  of  the  canning  season  a  considerable  per- 
centage of  the  fruit  from  some  fields  showed  a  yellow  mottling.  Upon 
examination  the  yellow  color  was  found  to  be  in  the  outer  walls  extend- 
ing through  the  entire  thickness.  Field  investigation  showed  that  all 
such  mottled  fruit  came  from  Fusarium-infected  plants,  but  all  such 
infected  plants  did  not  produce  mottled  fruit.  In  all  the  tomato-grow- 
ing sections  investigated  during  the  past  two  seasons,  Fusarium  wilt 
has  been  found. 

In  the  Merced  district  during  1923  whole  blocks  of  Earliana  and 
Stone  were  ruined  by  Fusarium  during  June.  Actual  count  showed 
that  not  less  than  90  per  cent  of  the  plants  were  visibly  affected  with 
a  proportionate  loss  of  crop.  In  the  vicinity  of  San  Jose,  the  case  of 
a  typical  field  may  be  mentioned  for  illustration :  In  this  field  both 
Earliana  and  San  Jose  Canner  were  grown.  The  Earliana  showed  a 
loss  of  20  per  cent  of  the  plants  on  account  of  Fusarium  wilt  in  late 
July.    At  the  same  time  the  Canner  showed  very  little  infection. 

In  the  interior  valleys  and  southern  California  Fusarium  wilt  is 
undoubtedly  a  very  serious  tomato  disease.  The  same  is  true  in  the 
Bay  region  and  other  cooler  sections  of  the  state,  although  the  losses 
there  are  proportionately  less.  In  the  warmer  sections  there  is  an 
actual  loss  of  a  considerable  percentage  of  plants,  while  in  the  colder 


CIRCULAR  280]        SURVEY  OF  THE  CANNING  TOMATO  INDUSTRY  25 

sections  of  the  state  the  greatest  loss  from  Fusarium  infection  is  caused 
by  the  lowered  producing  ability  of  the  plants,  rather  than  by  the 
number  actually  killed.  While  the  percentage  visibly  affected  by 
Fusarium  may  be  low,  an  examination  of  the  plants  by  cutting  open 
the  stem  and  observing  the  discoloration  of  the  fibro-vascular  system 
may  show  that  80  per  cent  of  the  plants  or  more  are  infected  by  the 
time  that  harvest  season  commences. 

Fusarium  wilt  can  be  controlled  to  some  extent  by  crop  rotation, 
but  by  far  the  greatest  possibility  lies  along  the  line  of  growing  resist- 
ant varieties.  Since  the  cause  of  the  disease  is  a  soil  organism  which 
enters  the  plant  through  the  root  system,  such  methods  as  spraying 
with  a  fungicide  or  dusting  with  sulphur  cannot  be  of  any  effect. 

The  most  susceptible  variety  grown  in  California  commercially  is 
the  Stone.  Numerous  cases  have  been  seen  of  almost  total  loss  of  this 
variety  by  Fusarium  wilt.  Fortunately  a  number  of  varieties  have 
been  developed  which  are  highly  resistant  to  this  disease.  It  is  recom- 
mended that  the  Stone  be  replaced  by  the  Norton  or  Norduke,  both  of 
which  are  of  Stone  type  and  red  in  color.  These  two  varieties  have 
shown  by  actual  test  that  they  are  as  resistant  in  California  as  else- 
where. The  Globe  is  an  older  pink  variety  which  has  considerable 
resistance  and  which  is  suggested  to  displace  Stone  for  shipping.  For 
canning  purposes  in  those  sections  not  suited  for  the  growing  of  the 
Canner,  the  Norton  should  be  tried.  In  the  Bay  region  the  Canner  has 
shown  a  considerable  degree  of  resistance  to  Fusarium  wilt,  partly 
perhaps  on  account  of  low  temperatures  rather  than  from  actual  resist- 
ance to  the  fungus.  Comparative  tests  in  that  region  have  shown, 
however,  that  it  is  less  susceptible  than  the  Stone. 

Fusarium  wilt  is  apparently  one  of  the  most  serious  diseases  affect- 
ing tomatoes  in  California,  but  fortunately  one  which  we  have  every 
assurance  can  be  controlled  by  the  use  of  resistant  varieties.  In  the 
upper  San  Joaquin  Valley  from  Fresno  to  Bakersfield  western  blight 
is  an  even  more  serious  factor,  but  in  the  commercial  tomato-growing 
districts  Fusarium  wilt  has  been  found  in  every  field  examined  and 
as  high  as  80  per  cent  of  the  plants  show  infections  with  this  disease 
at  the  end  of  the  season.  What  the  cost  in  tonnage  amounts  to  can- 
not even  be  estimated,  but  it  must  be  a  very  large  one.  If  we  assume 
that  the  falling  off  in  wilt  which  always  occurs  when  tomatoes  are 
grown  consecutively  for  several  years  on  the  same  land  (see  page  6) 
is  caused  by  Fusarium  wilt,  the  importance  of  this  disease  needs  no 
further  exposition. 

Nematodes. — In  a  number  of  tomato  growing  sections  the  Nematode 
Worm  is  very  prevalent,  causing  the  root  knot  disease.     This  is  par- 


26 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA— EXPERIMENT  STATION 


ticularly  true  in  light  soils  in  the  San  Joaquin  Valley  and  in  southern 
California.  Where  this  pest  is  present  in  the  soil,  the  successful 
production  of  tomatoes  cannot  be  expected. 

Blossom  End  Rot. — This  disease  is  sometimes  serious  in  tomatoes ; 
one  field  near  San  Jose  which  was  condemned  on  account  of  it  was 
seen,  and  no  fruit  was  gathered  from  the  field  for  commercial  purposes. 
Much  study  has  been  given  to  this  trouble  all  over  the  country.  The 
general  conclusion  regarding  it  is  that  it  is  not  due  to  any  parasite  or 
pest,  but  is  the  result  of  irregular  and  scanty  irrigation.  Fields  which 
regularly  receive  sufficient  water  and  thorough  cultivation  do  not  show 
this  condition. 


Fig.  11. — Tomato  root  affected  by  nematodes, 
to  plant  in  new  land. 


No  remedy  except 


CIRCULAR  280]       SURVEY  OF  THE  CANNING  TOMATO  INDUSTRY 


27 


Fig.  12.— "Tip  Blight"  disease  of  tomato. 


28  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT  STATION 

Tip  Blight. — There  has  been  prevalent  in  parts  of  central  Cali- 
fornia during  1923  a  disease  which  for  want  of  a  better  name  will  be 
called  ' '  Tip  Blight. ' '  This  disease  has  been  observed  in  the  Bay  region 
and  near  Suisun.  It  was  first  brought  to  attention  by  a  grower  near 
San  Jose,  in  one  part  of  whose  field  there  was  an  apparent  infection 
of  75  per  cent  of  the  plants.  This  badly  infected  area  covered  about 
a  half  acre.  The  balance  of  the  thirty-acre  field  showed  only  an 
average  of  10  per  cent  the  first  week  of  July  and  did  not  materially 
change  during  the  remainder  of  the  season,  except  that  some  of  the 
infected  plants  gradually  died  down.  During  August,  near  Suisun,  a 
number  of  adjacent  fields  comprising  about  200  acres,  showed  an 
apparent  infection  of  5%  to  20%.  At  Hay  ward  the  percentage  was 
about  the  same  as  at  Suisun,  although  the  infection  in  spots  ran  con- 
siderably higher.  At  Milpitas  the  disease  was  quite  prevalent  in  the 
corner  of  one  field,  the  percentage  of  infected  plants  being  40%.  Prac- 
tically every  field  in  the  Bay  region  that  has  been  under  observation 
showed  some  plants  with  this  disease.  But  it  was  only  in  a  few  limited 
spots  that  commercial  losses  were  caused  by  it. 

The  first  indication  of  the  disease  is  a  wilting  of  the  soft  tips  of 
the  stems,  the  wilting  occurring  without  change  of  color  in  either  the 
stem  or  the  foliage.  The  wilting  is  followed  by  the  appearance  of 
longitudinal,  dark-colored  blotches  on  the  stem,  the  blotches  being  irre- 
gular in  size  and  outline.  The  fibro-vascular  system  seems  to  be  clear, 
but  the  pith  shows  rusty  to  brownish  discoloration.  In  parts  of  the 
browned  pith  there  are  vacant  areas,  appearing  as  if  the  pith  had  been 
destroyed.  The  impression  is  often  given  that  an  insect  had  been 
tunneling  through  the  pith,  but  no  insect  has  been  found  at  work,  nor 
are  there  any  castings  present.  There  seems  to  be  no  opening  through 
which  an  insect  has  entered  or  left  the  infected  stems.  During  the 
earlier  stages  of  the  disease  the  pith  discoloration  extends  down  the 
stem  about  the  same  distance  as  do  the  blotches  in  the  cortex,  later  the 
pith  discoloration  descends  without  any  relation  to  the  location  of  the 
external  blotches.  The  cortex  blotches  occur  on  the  petioles  of  the 
leaflets  and  on  the  main  axis  of  the  leaf  as  well  as  on  the  cortex  of  the 
stem.  A  rather  distinctly  characteristic  spot  has  been  observed  on  the 
leaflets  of  infected  stems. 

During  this  year  the  greater  number  of  infected  plants  had  set  a, 
considerable  number  of  fruits  before  the  disease  attacked  them,  or  at 
least  before  it  became  apparent,  and  in  most  instances  this  fruit  was 
matured.  In  other  instances  the  plant  died  to  the  ground  before  the 
maturity  of  the  fruit.  The  disease  spread  slowly  during  the  remainder 
of  the  season  from  July  10  to  November  1,  but  its  effect  was  not  so 


Circular  280]       SURVEY  OF  THE  CANNING  TOMATO  INDUSTRY  29 

pronounced  nor  was  it  so  destructive  of  the  plant  as  it  was  in  early 
July.  This  later  infection  was  confined  almost  entirely  to  the  tips  of 
the  plants  and  to  the  petioles  and  axes  of  the  topmost  leaves. 

This  disease  occurred  among'  the  plants  in  a  small  garden  during 
late  August  and  September,  only  one  plant  of  twenty  being  at  first 
affected,  but  the  trouble  gradually  spread  to  six  of  them.  Half  of  the, 
affected  plants  were  cut  off  some  distance  below  the  apparent  infection 
and  there  was  no  further  development  of  the  disease  in  the  cut-off 
plants,  each  of  which  matured  fruit  after  being  topped.  During  some 
stages  of  this  disease  it  could  be  easily  mistaken  for  Fusarium  wilt 
because  of  the  appearance  of  the  dying  plant.  As  the  stem  dies,  the 
leaflets  become  dry  and  brittle  and  fall  off.  The  stem  as  it  dries  turns 
to  a  dark  brown  color  and  becomes  shrunken.  During  the  latter  part 
of  the  season,  from  September  on  to  the  end  of  the  season,  wilting-  has 
not  been  so  evident  and  in  most  cases  developed  during  this  period  the 
tips  and  leaves  have  died  without  wilting". 

Gardner  and  Kendrick9  describe,  as  a  form  of  tomato  mosaic, 
symptoms  which  appear  identical  with  those  of  this  disease. 

Southern  Wilt. — During  June  of  this  year  there  appeared  among 
the  plants  of  one  field  at  Merced  a  peculiar  wilting  of  the  axes  of  the 
leaves.  Upon  cutting  open  the  axis,  the  pith  was  found  to  have  broken 
down  and  in  place  of  it,  there  was  a  discolored  milky  juice.  This 
condition  is  suggestive  of  the  Southern  or  Bacterial  wilt. 


SUMMAEY,  CONCLUSIONS  AND  EECOMMENDATIONS 

On  the  basis  of  the  observations  and  conclusions  contained  in  this 
report,  the  writer  would  offer  the  following  recommendations  as  the 
most  promising  and  practical  possibilities  of  improving  the  canning- 
tomato  industry  in  the  San  Francisco  bay  region. 

1.  Any  successful  effort  toward  permanent  improvement  of  the 
canning-tomato-growing  industry  must  come  from  the  canners  more 
than  from  the  growers. 

2.  It  is  suggested  that  the  seed  beds  be  planted  about  February  15th 
or  March  1st  rather  than  January  1st,  as  at  present.  This  will  result 
in  planting  in  the  field  younger  plants  which  will  better  stand  the 
shock  of  transplanting  and  be  more  resistant  to  disease. 

3.  No  radical  changes  in  present  field  practice  are  considered 
necessary. 

o  Gardner,  M.  W.,  and  Kendrick,  J.  B.  Tomato  Mosaic.  Ind.  Agr.  Exp.  Sta. 
Bull.  261,  pp.  1-24.     1922. 


30  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT  STATION 

4.  The  disease  commonly  called  "Blight"  in  California  really  con- 
sists of  two  diseases,  ' '  Western  Blight ' '  and  ' '  Fusarium  Wilt. ' '  The 
former  is  peculiar  to  California  and  the  Northwest.  The  latter  is  the 
common  tomato  wilt  disease  of  the  southern  and  eastern  states. 

5.  In  the  most  important  tomato-growing  parts  of  California, 
Western  Blight  is  probably  less  important  and  Fusarium  Wilt  much 
more  important  than  has  heretofore  been  supposed. 

6.  The  cause  and  specific  method  of  control  of  Western  Blight  are 
still  to  be  discovered. 

7.  Fusarium  Wilt  is  controllable  to  a  great  extent  by  the  use  of 
resistant  varieties,  supplemented  by  crop  rotation. 

8.  The  present,  so-called  "San  Jose  Canner"  ("Jap  Canner") 
variety  of  the  San  Francisco  Bay  region  constitutes  the  most  promising 
canning  variety  for  that  district,  having  highly  desirable  qualities  of 
productiveness,  color,  flavor,  percentage  of  solids  and  other  canning 
qualities,  and  considerable  disease  resistance.  Its  principal  defects  are 
oversize,  rough  and  irregular  shape,  too  much  core,  and  too  long  a 
season  required  for  maturing  the  crop. 

9.  The  greatest  practical  opportunity  for  fairly  immediate  im- 
provement in  quality  and  production  of  canning  tomatoes  lies  in 
improving  this  variety  by  selection  in  the  qualities  mentioned  and  in 
disease  resistance. 

10.  There  is  no  urgent  demand  for  such  improvement  on  the  part 
of  tomato  growers.  The  effort  to  obtain,  and  especially  to  introduce 
such  an  improved  variety  must  be  largely  fostered  by  the  canners. 

11.  The  Stone  variety  is  highly  susceptible  to  Fusarium  wilt  and 
should  be  supplanted  by  Norton  or  Norduke  for  canning  and  by  the 
same  (red)  varieties  and  the  Globe  (pink)  for  shipping. 

12.  The  development  of  other  new  tomato  varieties  is  desirable,  like- 
wise knowledge  of  the  nature  and  control  of  Western  Blight. 


STATION  PUBLICATIONS  AVAILABLE  FOR  FREE  DISTRIBUTION 


No. 

253.  Irrigation  and  Soil  Conditions  in  the 
Sierra  Nevada  Foothills,  California. 

261.  Melaxuma    of    the    Walnut,    "Juglans 

regia/' 

262.  Citrus  Diseases  of  Florida   and   Cuba 

Compared  with  those  of  California. 

263.  Size  Grades  for  Ripe  Olives. 

268.  Growing  and  Grafting  Olive  Seedlings. 
273.  Preliminary  Report  on  Kearney  Vine- 
yard Experimental  Drain. 

275.  The  Cultivation  of  Belladonna  in  Cali- 

fornia. 

276.  The   Pomegranate. 

277.  Sudan  Grass. 

278.  Grain  Sorghums. 

279.  Irrigation  of  Rice  in  California. 

280.  Irrigation  of  Alfalfa  in  the  Sacramento 

Valley. 
283.  The  Olive  Insects  of  California. 

285.  The  Milk  Goat  in  California. 

286.  Commercial   Fertilizers. 

287.  Vinegar  from  Waste  Fruits. 
294.  Bean  Culture  in  California. 
298.   Seedless  Raisin  Grapes. 

804.  A  Study  of  the  Effects  of  Freezes  on 
Citrus   in  California. 

312.  Mariout  Barley. 

317.  Selections  of  Stocks  in  Citrus  Propa- 
gation. 

319.  Caprifigs  and  Oaprification. 

321.  Commercial  Production  of  Grape  Syrup. 

324.  Storage  of  Perishable  Fruit  at  Freezing 

Temperatures. 

325.  Rice  Irrigation  Measurements  and  Ex- 

periments    in     Sacramento     Valley, 

1914-1919. 
328.  Prune  Growing  in  California. 
331.  Phylloxera-Resistant  Stocks. 

334.  Preliminary  Volume  Tables  for  Second- 

Growth  Redwood. 

335.  Cocoanut   Meal    as    a   Feed   for   Dairy 

Cows  and  Other  Livestock. 

336.  The  Preparation   of   Nicotine  Dust   as 

an  Insecticide. 
339.  The  Relative  Cost  of  Making  Logs  from 
Small    and   Large   Timber. 

343.  Cheese  Pests  and  Their  Control. 

344.  Cold  Storage  as  an  Aid  to  the  Market- 

ing of  Plums. 


BULLETINS 

No. 

346. 

347. 


348. 
349. 

350. 
351. 
352. 

353. 
354. 
355. 
357. 


358. 

359. 
360. 

361. 

362. 
363. 

364. 

366. 

367. 

368. 

369. 
370. 
371. 

372. 

373. 
374. 

375. 
376. 


Almond  Pollination. 

The  Control  of  Red  Spiders  in  Decidu- 
ous Orchards. 

Pruning  Young  Olive  Trees. 

A  Study  of  Sidedraft  and  Tractor 
Hitches. 

Agriculture  in  Cut-over  Redwood  Lands. 

California  State  Dairy  Cow  Competition. 

Further  Experiments  in  Plum  Pollina- 
tion. 

Bovine  Infectious  Abortion. 

Results  of  Rice  Experiments  in   1922. 

The  Peach  Twig  Borer. 

A  Self-mixing  Dusting  Machine  for 
Applying  Dry  Insecticides  and 
Fungicides. 

Black  Measles,  Water  Berries,  and 
Related   Vine   Troubles. 

Fruit  Beverage  Investigations. 

Gum  Diseases  of  Citrus  Trees  in  Cali- 
fornia. 

Preliminary  Yield  Tables  for  Second 
Growth  Redwood. 

Dust  and  the  Tractor  Engine. 

The  Pruning  of  Citrus  Trees  in  Cali- 
fornia. 

Fungicidal  Dusts  for  the  Control  of 
Bunt. 

Turkish  Tobacco  Culture,  Curing  and 
Marketing. 

Methods  of  Harvesting  and  Irrigation 
in  Relation  to  Mouldy  Walnuts. 

Bacterial  Decomposition  of  Olives  dur- 
ing Pickling. 

Comparison  of  Woods  for  Butter  Boxes 

Browning  of  Yellow  Newtown  Apples. 

The  Relative  Cost  of  Yarding  Small 
and  Large  Timber. 

The  Cost  of  Producing  Market  Milk  and 
Butterfat  on  246  California  Dairies. 

Pear  Pollination. 

A  Survey  of  Orchard  Practices  in  the 
Citrus  Industry  of  Southern  Cali- 
fornia. 

Results  of  Rice  Experiments  at  Cor- 
tena,  1923. 

Sun-Drying  and  Dehydration  of  Wal- 
nuts. 


CIRCULARS 

No.  No. 
70.  Observations    on    the    Status   of    Corn  161. 
Growing  in  California.  164. 
87.  Alfalfa.  165. 
111.  The  Use  of  Lime  and  Gypsum  on  Cali- 
fornia Soils.  166. 
113.  Correspondence  Courses  in  Agriculture.  167. 
117.  The   Selection   and   Cost   of    a    Small  170. 

Pumping  Plant. 

136.  Melilotua   xndica    as    a    Green-Manure  172. 

Crop  for  California.  173. 
127.  House  Fumigation. 

129.  The  Control  of  Citrus  Insects.  174. 

144.  Qidium  or  Powdery  Mildew  of  the  Vine.  178. 

151.  Feeding  and  Management  of  Hogs.  179. 

152.  Some    Observations  on  the  Bulk    Hand- 

ling of  Grain  in  California.  184. 

158.  Announcement  of  the  California  State  190. 

Dairy  Cow  Competition,  1916-18.  193. 

154.  Irrigation  Practice  in  Growing  Small  198. 

Fruit  in  California.  199. 

155.  Bovine  Tuberculosis.  201. 

157.  Control  of  the  Pear  Scab.  202. 

158.  Home  and  Farm  Canning. 

160.  Lettuce  Growing  in  California.  203. 


Potatoes  in   California. 

Small  Fruit  Culture  in  California. 

Fundamentals   of   Sugar   Beet   Culture 

under  California  Conditions. 
The  County  Farm  Bureau. 
Feeding  Stuffs  of  Minor  Importance. 
Fertilizing  California  Soils  for  the  1918 

Crop. 
Wheat  Culture. 
The    Construction    of    the    Wood-Hoop 

Silo. 
Farm   Drainage  Methods. 
The  Packing  of  Apples  in  California. 
Factors    of    Importance    in    Producing 

Milk  of  Low  Bacterial  Count. 
A  Flock  of  Sheep  on  the  Farm. 
Agriculture  Clubs   in   California. 
A  Study  of  Farm  Labor  in  California. 
Syrup  from   Sweet  Sorghum. 
Onion  Growing  in  California. 
Helpful  Hints  to  Hog  Raisers. 
County    Organizations   for    Rural    Fire 

Control. 
Peat  as  a  Manure  Substitute. 


CIRCULARS — Continued 


No. 

205. 
206. 
208. 

209. 
210. 
212. 
214. 

215. 
217. 

219. 
220. 

228. 
230. 

231. 
232. 

233. 
234. 

235. 


237. 

238. 
239. 

240. 

241. 

243. 

244. 
245. 


Blackleg. 

Jack  Cheese. 

Summary  of  the  Annual  Reports  of  the 
Farm  Advisors  of  California. 

The  Function  of  the  Farm  Bureau. 

Suggestions  to  the  Settler  in  California. 

Salvaging  Rain-Damaged  Prunes. 

Seed  Treatment  for  the  Prevention  of 
Cereal   Smuts. 

Feeding  Dairy  Cows  in  California. 

Methods  for  Marketing  Vegetables  in 
California. 

The  Present  Status  of  Alkali. 

Unfermented  Fruit  Juices. 

Vineyard   Irrigation  in  Arid  Climates. 

Testing  Milk,  Cream,  and  Skim  Milk 
for  Butterfat. 

The  Home  Vineyard. 

Harvesting  and  Handling  California 
Cherries  for  Eastern  Shipment. 

Artificial  Incubation. 

Winter  Injury  to  Young  Walnut  Trees 
during  1921-22. 

Soil  Analysis  and  Soil  and  Plant  Inter- 
relations. 

The  Common  Hawks  and  Owls  of  Cali- 
fornia from  the  Standpoint  of  the 
Rancher. 

Directions  for  the  Tanning  and  Dress- 
ing of  Furs. 

The  Apricot  in  California. 

Harvesting  and  Handling  Apricots  and 
Plums  for  Eastern  Shipment. 

Harvesting  and  Handling  Pears  for 
Eastern    Shipment. 

Harvesting  and  Handling  Peaches  for 
Eastern    Shipment. 

Marmalade  Juice  and  Jelly  Juice  from 
Citrus  Fruits. 

Central  Wire  Bracing  for  Fruit  Trees. 

Vine  Pruning  Systems. 


No. 

247. 
248. 

249. 
250. 

251. 


252. 
253. 
254. 

255. 

256. 
257. 
258. 
259. 
260. 

261. 
262. 
263. 
264. 

265. 
266. 

267. 

268. 

269. 
270. 
271. 
272. 

273. 

275. 


Colonization  and  Rural  Development. 

Some  Common  Errors  in  Vine  Pruning 
and  Their  Remedies. 

Replacing  Missing  Vines. 

Measurement  of  Irrigation  Water  on 
the  Farm. 

Recommendations  Concerning  the  Com- 
mon Diseases  and  Parasites  of 
Poultry   in    California. 

Supports  for  Vines. 

Vineyard  Plans. 

The  Use  of  Artificial  Light  to  Increase 
Winter  Egg  Production. 

Leguminous  Plants  as  Organic  Fertil- 
izer in  California  Agriculture. 

The  Control  of  Wild  Morning  Glory. 

The  Small-Seeded  Horse  Bean. 

Thinning  Deciduous  Fruits. 

Pear  By-products. 

A  Selected  List  of  References  Relating 
to  Irrigation  in  California. 

Sewing  Grain  Sacks. 

Cabbage  Growing  in  California. 

Tomato  Production  in  California. 

Preliminary  Essentials  to  Bovine  Tuber- 
culosis Control. 

Plant  Disease  and  Pest  Control. 

Analyzing  the  Citrus  Orchard  by  Means 
of  Simple  Tree  Records. 

The  Tendency  of  Tractors  to  Rise  in 
Front:  Causes  and  Remedies. 

Inexpensive  Labor-saving  Poultry  Ap- 
pliances. 

An  Orchard  Brush  Burner. 

A  Farm  Septic  Tank. 

Brooding  Chicks  Artificially. 

California  Farm  Tenancy  and  Methods 
of  Leasing. 

Saving  the  Gophered  Citrus  Tree. 

Marketable  California  Decorative 
Greens. 


5m-10,'24 


